Talking machine and the like



May 11 1926.

F. A. MITCHELL TALKING MACHI E AND THE LIKE Filed April 28,.1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r! IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII l I1|!III 2 INVENTOR flail/c .flZZenM'k/zel BY ATTORNEY 4 0o 2 l M .v 4 e 8 h 5 s a 1 .t e e .n S 2 E K I L E5 2 L W 9 LA I- 1 EW. HA8 C 2 E T N U I MHM 0 AA AM G F.Nfl F K L A T May 11 1926.

ATTORN EY Patented May 11, 1926.

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FRANK ALLEN MITCHELL, OF LONDON, ENGLAIiTD, ASSIGNOR T0 COLUMBIA PIE-IGNO- GRAPH COMPANY, INC., OF IBRIDGEPORT, OGNITECTIGUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Application filed April 28, 1925.

This invention relates to talking machines and the like and particularly to that type of talking machine which can be partly collapsed to a smaller bulk in order to render the same easily portable or to adapt it to form part of shallow furniture or for like purposes.

In connection with such talking machines as hitherto constructed, it has been proposed to mount a horn or sound reflector with the sound outlet on or above the level of the board which carries the motor, the whole being adapted to go into a relatively small compass when the lid is closed; and it has further been proposed to lower the motor board complete with the motor, tone arm and horn into the main casing when not in use, or the tone arm has been constructed so as to -be removable or to fall down into the main case of the instrument.

In these latter arrangements also, it has been the practice to construct the amplifying horn so that it forms part of the lid or the main case or the horn is fixed to a board which carries the motor such dispositions of horn greatly detracting from I the full efficiency thereof owing to the motor being in direct connection therewith.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of talking machine or the like having all the advantages of existing types without their attendant disadvantages, and the invention consists in a talking machine of the type referred to having a hornforming in itself a complete unit free from the motor board and which is mounted beneath the motor board, the horn being conveniently pivot-ed or hinged to the case of the instrument so that the horn and tone arm can be lowered out of the way relative'to the said board when not in use without changing the shape of the horn.

The invention also consists in a talking machine of the above character in which the lowering and raising of the horn is carried out automatically by the lowering or raising of the lid or cover of the talking machine.

The invention also consists in a talking machine of the above character in which the Serial No. 26,481.

horn is curved to pass around the outside of the motor.

The invention also consists in other details and arrangement hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one convenient form of machine in accordance with the invention.

Figure 1 is a partsectional side elevation with the parts in playing position;

Figure 2is a similar with the parts 001- lapsed, and

Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 1, with the lid removed. 1 I

In carrying my invention into effect in one convenient manner, I form the born a preferably as a casting or stamping of aluminium alloy or other suitable material, the horn being made in one piece or in several pieces secured together as may be found most desirable, a convenient construction as illustrated involving the bottom and sides being form-ed in one and a metal plate a and wooden or other plate a secured thereto to form the top which is provided with a small inlet hole a (Figure 3) over which the tone arm I) and support a are connected in the usual way.

The horn should be tapered in section from the inlet hole to the large outlet end of the horn and it may be made suitably curved in order to pass round the outside of the motor cl without however touching it at any point. For example, the tone arm may be secured to the small end of the horn which may be located in a rear corner of the portable instrument case, the horn tapering gradually as it extends to the other rear corner where it is curved so as to extend down the one side of the case towards the front thereof where the taper gradually increases so that the mouth or outlet of the horn is flared to any suitable size and shape, the arrangement of horn being clearly shown in Figure 3.

With such an arrangement, it will be seen that the length of the sound amplifying conduit is greater than the length of the case, and the whole of the available space in the case is utilized to the greatest advantage.

The front top edge of the horn is preferably pivoted to the front of the instrument motor (Z is situated within the curve of the horn between the front flare and the curved tapered passage to which the tone arm is attached it will be seen that very little space is wasted within the portable case as that part of the latter which is not occupied by the motor and its parts is used to accommodate the horn.

When in use for playing a record, the back, tone arm end of the horn is raised so that the top of the horn is approximately flush with the motor board f and the tone arm is in the usual position above the motor board and turntable as shown in Figure l. and when not in use the back, tone arm end of the horn is lowered below the motor board until the bottom of the tapered horn is spaced but slightly above the bottom of the instrument case which is parallel to the mo= tor board, and the tone arm is then below or mainly below the level of the motor board, thus allowing the lid 9 of the instrument case to be closed down close to the level of the turntable 72 By this means, that room which is normally occupied by the tone arm while playing is economized and the instrument case is that much smaller, thus adding to its portability. l

The horn may be connected by a suitable link or other connection 2' to shutters is or doors situated in front of the flared end of the horn and attached to the cabinet so that the raising or lowering of the horn will also actuate to open or close the shutters. Thus, in the example shown, the horn is provided with a stud s which bears against the link i which is pivoted to the case at z", the arrangement being such that when the horn is lowered the stud s depresses the link 2' against the spring 2' so that the shutters will be rocked into the closed position shown in Figure 2. When the lid is raised to raise the horn, the spring 2' will pull the shutters into the open position. By omitting the spring t the lowering of the horn may simply latch the shutters closed and the raising of the horn release them for opening.

The horn may be provided with a suitable catch or link motion or other means to hold it in the raised or in the lowered p0si- I tion relative to the case, as, for example, the

top plate of the horn near the tone arm connection may be provided with a small bolt (not shown) adapted to be moved by hand,

when in the raised position, to engage a part of the instrument case and hold the horn in its playing position.

Moreover, the bolt or catch may be operated automatically by movement of the lid when opening or closing or it may be actuated in part automatically and in part by hand. r

In the example illustrated, I provide a hand operated spring controlled catch Z which may be engaged with or disengaged from the tone arm end of the horn to retain it in its raised position or permit of its beingmoved to its lowered position.

The lid 9 is connected to the horn by means of a link 9 so that the raising of the lid will automatically move the parts into playing position shown in Figure 1 in which position they are held by the catch Z. Also, when the lid is lowered the link 9 will support the rear end of the horn, maintaining it spaced from the bottom wall of the cabinet as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be understood that the foregoing description is'given by way of illustration of the nature of the invention and not by way of limitation as it will be evident that I may modify the shape and size of the horn, its mode of construction, and the material from which the same is formed, as also the means adopted for disposing the same below. the turntable without being in contact with the motor depending upon the type or construction of machine to which the invention is to be applied or any practical requirements that may have to be fulfilled.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention andin what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In a talking machine, a cabinet, a mo tor board in the cabinet, a horn forming in itself a complete unit free from the motor board and disposed therebeneath, a tone arm connected with the horn at the rear end thereof, and. raised so that the tone-arm will be above the motor-board whenin operative position and means pivotally mounting the forward end of the horn whereby the horn and tone arm can be lowered relative to the motor board when not in use without changing the shape of the horn.

2. A talking machine according to claim 1, including a lid and link means connecting the lid with the horn whereby the raising and lowering of the lid automatically raises and lowers the horn and tone arm.

3. In a talking machine, a cabinet, a motor board within the cabinet, a tapered horn forming in itself a complete unit free from the motor board and disposed within the cabinet and beneath the motor board, a tone arm communicating with the small end of said horn, means mounted by the cabinet and disposed in front of the large open end of said horn for controlling the volume of sound emitted therefrom, means pivotally mounting the forward end of said ,horn whereby the horn and the tone arm may be lowered within the cabinet and link means connecting the horn and volume. control 4. A talking machine according to claim 3, provided with a lid and link means connecting the lid with the horn whereby raising and lowering of the lid moves the horn into operative and inoperative positions, and opens and closes the tone volume control means.

5. A talking machine according to claim 3, including means carried by the cabinet and adapted toautomatically engage a portion of the horn and support the horn when the lid is raised.

6. In a talking machine, a cabinet, a motor board within the cabinet, a horn forming in itself a complete unit free from the motor board and mounted therebeneath, a tone arm communicating with the horn and means mounted by the cabinet at the open end of the horn for controlling the volume of sound emitted from the cabinet, a lid for said cabinet and connecting means interposed between the lid and the said volume control means whereby the raising and lowering of said lid automatically opens and closes said sound volume control means' 7. In a talking machine, a cabinet, a motor board, a horn disposed within the cabinet beneath the motor board for pivotal move ment toward and away from the motorboard, pivoted shutters mounted by the cabinet at the forward end of the horn for controlling the volume of sound emitted, a tone arm discharging into the rear end of the horn, and link means connecting the horn and pivoted shutters for opening the latter as the horn is raised to operative position and closing the same when the horn is lowered to inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

Dated this 16th day of April1925.

FRANK ALLEN MITCHELL.

I Certificate of Correction.

It ishereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,584,184;, granted May 11, 1926, upon the application of Frank Allen Mitchell, of London, England, for an improvement in Talking Machines and the like, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, lines 102, 103, and 104, plaim 1, strike out the Words and raised so that the tone-arm Will be above the motor-board When -in operative position and insert the same to follow after the Word use in line 1.07, same claim; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of June, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

